Fire-fighting system



Aug. 4, 1936. w. F. CONRAN FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 4, 1933 -4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m ENTOR 2 MW XZMM ATTORNEY Aug. 4, 1936. w. F. CONRAN 2,049,760.

FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 4, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 4, 1936. w. F. CONRAN I FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 4, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ZINYENTOR 'ATTORN Y Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM William F. Com-an, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application January 4, 1933, Serial No. 650,117

16 Claims. (01. 1692) This invention relates to fire-fighting systems, and particularly to apparatus for extinguishing or preventing fire in inaccessible parts of a dock or other building, the term dock being used herein toindicate a wharf, pier or like structure.

There are many fires in which the fiames spread by traveling along partsof the building which are not readily accessible to firemen and conventional fire-fighting equipment. Docks are a type of building or structure usually built over water and supported on piles, inwhich fires are particularly destructive, and these fires often spread along the under side of the dock floor. When a clock has side or curtain walls extending from the floor to the water, the under side of the floor is particularly inaccessible, but even Without such walls, the short distance between the floor and the water level; and the presence of piling and cross-bracing, make it difiicult to play streams of water over the under side of the floor to prevent the spread of fire or to combat flames already burning.

New and effective-apparatus for fighting such fires on a dock or fires in other inaccessible buildings or parts of a building is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,006,709 dated July 2, 193 5. The present invention relates to similar apparatus, but with different provision for moving the nozzle head along a course, and with other modifications of the structure.

An object of this invention is to provide a firefighting system for reaching fires at inaccessible places, more especially under the floors of docks and, the like, and to provide novel and effective means for moving a nozzle carriage into positions for discharging water against the part of a dock or other structure. V

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved nozzle carriage for movement along a supporting surface, and to provide improved operating means for moving the carriage. According to one feature of the invention, an endless cable moves the nozzle carriage and hose-supporting carriages which support a hose at one or more points behind the nozzle carriage.

The invention includes a nozzle head with wheels for movement along a track, and a plurality of nozzles radiating from the nozzle head to spray water to the front, rear and sidesof the nozzle head over a substantial area. The reaction of the forwardly directed water jets causes a resultant force which tends to propel the nozzle head rearward along thetrack, and this force is opposed by the resultant force of the reaction of the rearwardly directed jets. If the reaction of thejets is not to be used to assist in moving the nozzle head along the track, then the number of nozzles and their direction of discharge are chosen so that the resultant forces of the reactions forward and rearward substantially balance. *5-

The invention also includes a combination of a dock or other building, a track, or plurality of spaced tracks, and a cable associated with each track for moving a nozzle carriage along the track. The invention can be constructed with each track terminating at a side of a dock, or adjacent an opening through a wall of a dock or other structure, so that a nozzle carriage can be placed on the track and be moved by the cable into the immediate vicinity of the fire by a fire- 5 man outsideof the burning structure. I I

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a wharf equipped with the fire-fighting apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the wharf shown in Fig. l; I 2

. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation showing the construction of the fire-fighting apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; a

Fig.- 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, but showing the cable lugs in elevation; Y

, Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

' A dock II is supported on piles l2 having conventional cross-braces l3. The dock has a floor l1 and sills l8supported by the piles. Side 0r curtain walls 20 cover the upper portion of the piling, these side walls extending from the floor 11 downwardly to the water, though the level of the Water with respect to the lower ends of the side walls 20 will vary through considerable range, depending on the tide or flood stage'of the river. The invention is particularly useful for docks having these side walls because such walls make the under side of the dock very inaccessible. The invention is also useful, however, with dockshaving no curtain walls over the piling, and with other buildings or structures.

The fire-fighting apparatus can be operated from a boat, or by firemen working from ladders 22 which hook on the sills l8 and extend downwardly along the side walls 20. The side walls 20 have a plurality of openings 24 through which the firemen have access to the apparatus under the wharf and can introduce nozzle heads.

The fire-fighting apparatus under the floor I! is shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 3-5. Hangers 38 are connected to angles 39 by bolts 40. The angles are fastened to the under side of the dock. -A .pluralityof equally spacedholesAZ in bothithe'anglesandr-hangers make it possible to change the distance between the hangers and the dock floor by bringing difierent holes of the angles and hangers into register and then inserting the bolts 40' through the holes-chosen.

A flexible cable 44, which is shown as anoendless cable, is supported by thehangers. fThe cable has lugs 46 secured to'its'ltopiandi'sidesiat" spaced points throughout its length. .Theside.

lugs 46 slide along supporting guides"48 which extend alongboth sides of the cable. The guides .48.-:curve=through:an; arci-ofnlSO" at each end; to reverse the rdirection-of travel of the'rcable; but .sheavesaorotherzmeanscan beused to reverse the run'ofithe cableimplace of the curved 'guides.

1The:-iower;,.-portions 10f Topposing hangers "38 Tcurve inwardly :as :shown in Fig. .5, andxare clampedagainstzthe opposite ended -.a spacing sleeves-52a by a :bolt 54., 1A: sheave 56: isrotatably supported-by an. axle between each set of opposing-hangers. Thev sheavesr56 areadditional sup- ;ports forztheetop. runz'ofthe cable.

.yA nozzle 'iheadw62 :.-is "connected toronee of :the upstanding lugs -46-.-of the cable by .a bolt 63. .Ifdthe nozzle headi-is-ofwlight Weight, impropertion to thesizezofathercabletandlugs, it can'be supported entirely ::by the :cable. Larger land heavierr.-nozzle :headsJoan be used, however, .by providing side supports to.holdthenozzlelhead 11pright;=-andthe force-required toimove the nozzle head is greatly reduced by supportingrallf or most: of: the weighton: I OIIEIST'OIWhBEIS.

,The. nozzle 3 head-562 rhas-z brackets -:'or istu'ds fi, (shown :in.:Fig..!5. .vA wheel-'66 is rotatably connected to each stud 65. The wheels run loniia track: 61-=whichJsupports the weight 'of the nozzle -head--andr=keepsrit' in :upright .position. 'te'lheirails of the track are supported by the hangers; 38. "The nozzle-headrfiz is hollow andrcommunicaites with a hose fitting 7], shown in Figs. :3 and i4. CWateridi-scharges. from the 2n-ozzle"head 62 through a plurality of nozzles 12 set a various. angles.

*Waten .is supplied:tolthenozzlehead 62 through fa hose 14 .connectedato thefitting .1 l '.by a conventional screw-thread hose connection 15.

-.F;ig.=-5 -.shows' two of the nozzles "in detail. Each nozzleiincludesraanipple 1:6 threaded into thernozzlewhead 62. A-=:4-5. elbowithrea'dsiover .thenipple :16 and? a; nozzleitip'l'l 'iszthreaded into theeouterrend ofthe elbow. .ThB'zIIOZZlB tipsihas =a-.22.5: bend-and canflbe. turned-about. its threads to :changethe direction of dischargebftthe-water jet. Further ead jnstment of' the directio'n .ofrthe water 1 jet is made by turning the ielbow on the threadsaof the -.nipple ,16. ,Thesetwo'adjustments combine. to; produce awery wide" range" of directionsifor the water-jet. Simple non=adjust ableenozzle tipsethreading directlyinto the nozzleheadis'l .can be ,used, if desired.

..The.-nozzles.are.set at difierent angles for directingstreamsof water: in a multitude of-directions -over .a.-large -area. The type of .building, width of bays, andthespacing betweenztracks when. parallehtracks-are ns'ed,..are. important considerationsinneterminingilthe setting .otthe. nozzles. When used under a dock, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the nozzles are ordinarily set'to discharge the water in a multitude of directions, upward, forward, rearward, and to both sides of the nozzle head. The reaction of the jets which incline forward causes a resultant force which urges the nozzle head rearward. The rearward inclined jets cause a resultant force in the opposite direction. In the nozzle head shown in the drawingsthenumber of nozzles and theirdirection of discharge :is, suchTthat the iorces of reaction in both directions substantially balance. The nozzle head can be made so that the reaction in one direction is greater than in the other and moves, or helps -to move, the nozzle head in one direction.along its course. When using a nozzle head which is moved in one direction by the reaction ifromtthe water :j'ets,*a single cable for moving the nozzlehead in the other direction can be used in placeofthe double run, endless cable shown in the-drawings. I prefer the endless cableibecause :itpanrnot get "out :of; place'sand canbe used with any: kind of' nozzle.

:Blocksr 18 prevent the wheels :66 fromrrunnin'g beyoncl'rthere'ndv of the J track. The blocks I 8 are connected? wfthiithe itrackiby :zhin'ges I 1 9 so that 'theyrcanibe swungiouti of .the; ipath'i of the wheels =whenithe'nozzler'headl is to'be placed on or: taken .ofi theit'nack. :fIheblockilaat-theleft hand end f of: the ttracki in. is shownl' hinged down into ia'rposition swhere Fit will mot: obstruct the I Wheels 166.

Thenhose :14 isi'supported at spaced-points be- ?hindithefinozzie carriageby: hose'-supporting carriages :8'5,reach1of which has-a quickly detachable hose :clamp 86. :Each hose-suppo'rting' carriage 'hasIa:cross bar 88 -with wheels 89' for running on theitrack 6l, and each of these carriages is fas- 'tened' toza lug lfi of' the"cable by-a bolt 90.

.Theconnections between the hose 'supporting carriages axnd the lugs 46} have two functions; they cause the carriages to move with the cable, a'n d support the carriages' when their wheels are not-on the track. Fig. 3 shows three hose-sup- "po'rtin'gcarriages l-n inverte diposition' and sup- 61,1it'is unclamped from the hose and allowed to travlaroun'dthe curved ends of .theguides and along' the lower run c'if'the cable.

.The cable ismanually operated.tonnove the fnozzlefheadforward .by.grasping..and pulling the .cable, or oneoof the. outwardly extending. lugs 46 tion, since they do not carry the weight of the track, hose and-nozzlehead. a

The nozzle head I of Figs. 7 and 8 comprises lmgwith wheels H2. These wheelsand the wheels I06 of the nozzle head travel along a track H which is shown as an I-beam in Figs. 7 and 8- The hose-supporting carriage H0 clamps tothe.

hose and moves with the hose, but is not con--' ldn'nected to the cable.

The cable '44 is operatively connected with the nozzle head I00 by'means of a bracket at the bottom of the nozzle head. This bracket is fastened'to a lug ofthe cable by a'bolt H8, or the 0?rbracket can be used as an abutment with which a lug of the cable contacts to push the nozzle head along the track.

The nozzle head I00 and hose-supporting carriage- H0 are similar to those shown in my patent 25;:No. 2,006,709.

The operationof the system shown in Figs. 1-6; is as follows:

Thefiremen approach the dock from the windward side, and operating from a boat or ladders: 322 introduce the nozzle head 62 through one of the openings 24 adjacent the end of a track which runs close to the fire: The hose 74 is connected to the nozzle head and-supplied with water from a fire-boat or water source on shore.

"Anupstanding lug 46 of the cable is fastened to the bracket at the bottom of the nozzle head, and a fireman operates the cable to move the nozzle carriage away from him along the track. The: fireman can reach between the cable guides and 4% gripthe cable directly, or he may pull it by seizing one of the upstanding lugs 46. The cable can be conveniently operated byzusing a tool to gripthe cable-or-hook on the lugs of the cable.

crWhen theJ-nozzle head has traveled'a short distance, a hose-supporting carriage 85 is placed on. the track and clamped to the hose. As the noz zle head travels further, additional hose-supporting carriages are placed on the track and clamped to the hose. The spacing of these hose- 96 supporting carriages is the same as the spacing of the lugs along the cable so that each hosesupporting carriage can be connected to one of the upstanding lugs 46.

The nozzle head can be stopped at any desir- Efi able-location along the track, but in many cases it is most effective if moved back and forth along the track. When using the water to prevent the spread of fire, the nozzle head is moved back and forth to keep the surfaces wet along the entire length of the track.

A fireman can move the nozzle head toward him by pulling the hose. As each hose-supporting carriage returns to the end of the track it is un- 65 clamped from the hose but remains connected to the lug 46 of the cable. As the nozzle head and top run of the cable continue to move toward the fireman, the hose-supporting carriage which has been unclamped from the hose is carried beyond 70 the end of the track and along the lower run 0 the cable.

When the cable is again operated to move the nozzle head forward, away from the fireman, the hose-supporting carriages connected to the lower 75 run of the cable are successively brought around by the cable into position to be placed on the track and clamped to-the hose. I A 1 The invention has been described for. use with a dock, and it is particularly useful with such structures because of the difiiculty in reaching the 5 under side of a dock with fire-fighting streams. However, the invention can also be applied to other buildings, and if one or both ends of the track are located at a door, window, or other opening, the carriages can be placed on the track 10 bya fireman outside the wall.

The preferred embodiment and one modified form of this invention have been described; but other modifications can be made, and various features of the invention can be used alone or in combination with other features without departing from the invention as defined in the claims- I cla m:

1. In a dock or like structure; a track supported by the dock beneath the dock floor in 2Q position to support a nozzle head for movement along the track; and anendless cable extending along the trackfor connection with the nozzle head to propel said nozzle head along the track, portions of said cable extending into positions 25, adjacent opposite sides of said dock for manual operation of the cable by a fireman at either side of the dock. I v a 2. In a structure, fire protection apparatus including a, track extending within the structure from a wall thereof, said wall having an opening at the end of the track; an endless cable; means supporting the endless cable with at least one run of the cable extending along the track for. operative connection with a nozzle head to move the nozzle headalong the track, a portion of the cable extending close to the opening for operation by a fireman at the wall opening.

3. In a structure, a fire protection system in cluding a track within the structure; a.nozzle head movable along the track; and a cable for propelling the nozzle head in at least one direction along the track; the structure having an opening through one of its Walls with the open-, ing located so that the cable can be operated to propel the nozzle head'by a fireman outside of said wall. y

4. A fire-fighting device comprising a hollow nozzle head; axles extending from the sides of the nozzle head; wheels having a radius less than the distance between the axle and the lower end of the nozzle head, and carried on the axlesfor supporting the nozzle head for movement along a track located above the lower end of the nozzle head; and a plurality of nozzles radiating'frorn the nozzle head and directed to discharge fire fighting jets of water upward, lengthwise, and breadthwise.

5. Fire-fighting apparatus comprising a nozzle head; wheels supporting the nozzle head for movement along a track; a plurality of nozzles radiating from the nozzle head and directed in different directions to discharge jets of water to both sides, forwardly and rearwardly of the carriage, the amount of water and direction of discharge from the forwardly directed jets being such that the reaction of these jets produces a resultant force in the direction of the track which substantially balances a. similar resultant force of the rearwardly directed jets.

6. Fire-fighting apparatus comprising a nozzle head; wheels supporting the nozzle head; a track on which the wheels run; a hose connection for supplying water to the nozzle head; an endless cable extending along the track for propelling the nozzle head in one or both directions; means for operatively connecting the cable and nozzle head; and spaced supporting means for the cable.

7. Fire-fighting apparatus comprising a track; an endless cable; means supporting the endless cable with at least one run of the cable substantially parallel to the track; a nozzle head, wheels running on the track and supporting the nozzle head for movement along the track; and connecting means between the cable and nozzle head for causing the nozzle head to travel withthe cable.

8. Fire-fighting equipment including a wheeled nozzle head for movement along a supporting surface; an endless cable for connection with the nozzle head to propel said nozzle lead in at least one direction along the supporting surface; means for operatively connecting the cable and nozzle head; and cable guide means supporting the endless cable at a plurality of points spaced along said supporting'surface. r

9. Fire-fighting equipment including a wheeled nozzle head for movement on and along a supporting surface; a cable extending along the supporting surface for connection with the nozzle head for moving said nozzle head in at least one direction along the supporting surface; means for operatively connecting the cable and nozzle head; lugs connected to the cable at spaced points; and cable guide means on which said lugs are slidably supported.

10. Fire-fighting apparatus including'a track; a wheeled nozzle head mounted for movement along the track; a hose arranged for supplying water to the nozzle head; hose-supporting carriages for connection with the hose at spaced points, wheels on said carriages mounted for running on the track; an endless cable; cable guide and supporting means adjacent the end of the track for reversing means connecting the nozzle head with the cable so that movement of the cable propels the nozzle head; and means connecting the hose-supporting carriages to the cable to propel said carriages along the track when they are supporting the hose, and tosupport the carriages when'they'have moved beyond the end of the track and have moved away from the hose and around'the cable supporting means which reverses the run of the cable. V 7

11. In a structure, a fire-protection system including a plurality of spaced tracks, each of which terminates at a wall opening through which a wheeled nozzle head can be placed on or taken off the track in position; and a cable exthe run of the cable;

tending along each track for connection to the V nozzle head to propel said nozzle head along the track. a

12. In a dock or like structure; a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced tracks extending across the dock below the floor for supporting nozzle heads with their wheels running on the tracks; an endless cable for each track; and means supporting each of the endless cables with at least one run of each cable'extending along its associated track for connection to a nozzle head to propel the nozzle'head along the track.

13. In' a-structure to be protected from fire, a:

fire-fighting system including an endless cable, means supporting the cable for longitudinal movement from one side to another of said structure through an inaccessible portion of the structure, said cable being accessible from either of said sides and means for connecting a fire-fighting'nczzle head to the cable for movement as a unit with the cable to carry water to a fire in said inaccessible portion of the structure.

14. Fire-fighting equipment including an endless cable extending through an inaccessible portion of a structure to be protected from fire and accessible from two sides of the structure; cable supporting means connected with the structure for-supporting a cable for longitudinal movement from one side to another of said structure, said cable being accessible from either of said sides; a fire-fighting nozzle head transported by the cable along. the course of said cable; and means for connecting the'nozzle head to the cable.

l5. Fire-fighting apparatus including a hollow body, upwardly-extending brackets connected with the body; wheels on the brackets for supporting the body for movement along a track situated above said body; and a multiplicity of nozzles radiating from the hollow body and of such size and so directed that theyldeliver firefighting jets "of water upward, lengthwise, and breadthwise' against an overhead surface.

3.5. Fire-fighting apparatus comprising a vsubstantially rigid track, a nozzle head of such a nature that it can be readily placed on or removed irom thentrack, means for connecting a 

